Statement of State Committee of Ukraine on Physical Culture and Sports

Русская версия

Statement of State Committee of Ukraine on Physical Culture and Sports

The central organ of executive power on physical culture and sports of Ukraine makes the strong protest in connection with the ignoring by the FIDE president the interests of FIDE World Champion – the citizen of the Ukraine Mr. Ruslan Ponomariov. The FIDE leaders break first sport principles and tries one way or another to realize its illogical plans. The abolition of the match between Ruslan Ponomariov and Garry Kasparov which have been planned for last autumn is not dictated by the interests of chess development and the consolidation of the chess world. There were a satisfaction of FIDE president's personal pride and a disinclination to find constructive ways to solve the problems.

We state the support of the initiative of FIDE World Champion Mr. Ruslan Ponomariov regarding to the match-tournament for absolute world champion title, in which could take part the best chessplayers: Ruslan Ponomariov, Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand, Peter Leko and the winner of a tournament which will take place in Tripoli (Libya) and Valetta (Malta) from 18 June to 13 July 2004. The world history of chess development confirms the right approach to decide crisis situations. The realization of the offered version will do the real consolidation of the chess world on the sport basis and provide equal conditions for best chess-players.

We are confident that the initiative of FIDE World Champion Ruslan Ponomariov will find support from the chess world and stimulate for development of this unique and famous in all the world play.

Chairman of State Committee of Ukraine on Physical Culture and Sports

M. Kostenko

29^th of April 2004